December 1999

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Press Releases distributed November 24 – December 28, 1999
November 24, 1999
NINE STUDENTS FROM SDSM& T TO COMPETE IN
WILLIAM LOWELL PUTNAM MATHEMATICAL COMPETITION
Nine students from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) will compete in the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition on Saturday, December 4, 1999. The Putnam is perhaps the most prestigious mathematical competition for undergraduate students in the United States and Canada. Last year over 2500 students from over 400 schools took the Putnam.
The exam consists of 12 problems worth 10 points each for a total of 120 points. Typically about 1/ 3 of the students who take the exam get a score of 0. Receiving a score of 20 is usually sufficient to make the list of the top 500 students that is sent to graduate schools across the country. The exam is constructed to test originality as well as technical competence. Questions will be included that cut across the bounds of various disciplines, and self- contained questions that do not fit into any of the usual categories.
“ I think the fact that our students are willing to compete shows that our Mathematics program is strong and that our students are eager to challenge themselves,” said Dr. Ed Corwin, Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science.
The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition began in 1938 and is designed to stimulate a healthful rivalry in mathematics among colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. Mr. William Lowell Putnam had a profound conviction in the value of organized team competition among undergraduate students. After Putnam’s death, his widow created a trust fund which supported the first Putnam competition, and it has continued ever since.
The students competing from the School of Mines and their hometowns include Nathanael Reid, Kennewick, WA; Brandan Yares, Brooklyn Park, MN; Preston Schneider, Rapid City; Brenda Manley, Hawesville, KY; Kathleen Peterson, Rapid City; Jamil Higgins, Rapid City; Richard Stevens, Rapid City; Ryan Mayer, Rapid City; and Jason Israelson, Sturgis.
December, 1 1999
DISCOVERY SCIENCE AWARD WINNER
TO SPEAK ON ANTARCTICA EXPIDITION AT MUSEUM OF GEOLOGY
Dr. James Martin, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology for the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology will be the feature speaker for a benefit celebration at the Museum of Geology at 5: 30 PM on Friday, December 10. Ms. Janet Davison of South Dakota Public Radio will serve as moderator at the event.
Martin will present images and tales of his research expeditions to Antarctica when he discovered the fossilized remains of huge aquatic reptiles and dinosaurs in the remote Vega and Seymour Island of the Antarctica Peninsula area. He will have a sample of the actual fossilized remains he discovered on- hand for guests to view.
Martin and his scientific colleagues, found the tooth of a duck- billed dinosaur - the first such fossil ever discovered on the continent of Antarctica. In addition, they discovered a portion of a leg bone from the continent’s most ancient bird, and the remains of two giant marine reptiles, the mosasaur and plesiosaur and those of their young. The expedition was funded principally through the National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs. The discovery of the fossilized remains provide evidence supporting the theory of an ancient land bridge connecting Antarctica to the Americas. This land bridge may have been used not only by dinosaurs but also by marsupial mammals in their emigration from the Americas to Australia via Antarctica when the continents were closer together.
Last month the Discovery Channel Europe and the Royal Geographical Society ( the UK counterpart to the National Geographic Society) presented Dr. Martin with the Discovery Science Award at an awards dinner held at the Royal Geographical Society ( with the Institute of British Geographers) in London, England. The Discovery Science Award recognizes major scientific achievements and highlights those individuals or teams whose work has pushed back the limits of our knowledge.
Martin, a native of Edgemont, South Dakota, received his Bachelor of Science in geology from SDSM& T in 1971, and his Master of Science in paleontology from SDSM& T in 1973. He went on to earn his PhD in geology from the University of Washington. Martin returned to South Dakota in 1979. In addition to participating in expeditions to Antarctica, Martin also leads paleontology expeditions through the SDSM& T Museum of Geology each year. These are held in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Oregon and are open to the public.
If you would like more information about the benefit celebration featuring Dr. Martin, or would like to RSVP, contact the Museum of Geology at ( 605) 394- 2467.
December 2, 1999
SDSM& T TO HOST SURVEYING SEMINAR ON DECEMBER 3
On Friday, December 3 between 50 and 100 professionals will be on the campus of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) attending the 4th Biennial Land Surveying Seminar. The seminar is held for licensed surveyors around South Dakota and provides continuing education credits which they need in order to renew their license. The primary topic will be the State Plane Coordinate System, a system of coordinates for describing land within South Dakota.
Dr. M. R. Hansen, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will serve as moderator and host of the one- day seminar. Other professionals who will be delivering part of the seminar include Dennis Shreves, LS, Director of Planning and Economic Development; Dean Scott, LS; J. D. Mason, Analytic Geography; Steve Richter, Frontier Precision, Inc.; Lisa Webster, Chief Deputy, Pennington County Register of Deeds; and Warren Fisk, PE & LS, President, Fisk Engineering.
For more information on the Surveying Seminar, contact Dr. Hansen at ( 605) 394- 1959.
December 2, 1999
DROP- N- SHOP AT THE CHILDREN’S SCIENCE CENTER GIVES PARENTS A CHANCE TO FINISH THEIR HOLIDAY SHOPPING
On Saturday, December 11 the Children’s Science Center will be hosting Drop- N- Shop – a chance for parents to pick up those last few presents before the Holidays are upon us. You can drop off your kids at 9: 00 am or right after lunch at 1: 00 pm for a four- hour morning or afternoon shopping session. Dino- Mite will offer specially designed programming for children ages 5- 7, and Elk & Black Hills Wildlife will be geared towards children ages 8- 10 years old. Each group will offer Story Time, activities, and healthy snacks.
Admission to one of the four- hour shopping sessions is $ 8.00. Space is limited so pre- registration is required. Deadline to register is December 7. For more information about Drop- N- Shop or to register, contact the Children’s Science Center at ( 605) 394- 6996, or the Office of University & Public Relations at ( 605) 394- 2554.
December 8, 1999
MUSEUM OF GEOLOGY RECEIVES DONATION OF ONE OF LARGEST FOSSIL SHRIMP, CRAB & LOBSTER COLLECTIONS IN THE WORLD
An alumnus of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) has donated his fossil collection of fossil shrimp, crab, and lobster specimens to the Museum of Geology. Gale Bishop, Emeritus Professor at Georgia Southern University and Co- Director of St. Catherine’s Sea Turtle Conservation Program, has been collecting fossil decapods for over 25 years and has accumulated one of the largest decapod ( lobster, crab, and shrimp) collections in the world.
By donating his collection to the Museum, the fossils will be returning to their region of origin. The largest collections within the 22,000 specimen donation were discovered in South Dakota, with smaller collections coming from Texas, Montana, Georgia, and South Carolina.
“ This collection will be able to provide a significant contribution to research in decapod paleontology, and is a significant contribution to the Museum of Geology at the School of Mines further enhancing a center of excellence paleontology,” said Bishop.
Accompanying the 22,000 specimens at the Museum is an expansive library of information that includes 3,000 reprints and books on decapods, and the over 50 papers that were published about the collection. Scientists will be able to access the manuscripts, grant proposals, and over 3,000 negatives of fossil crabs.
Bishop grew up in Sioux Falls and earned his B. S. and M. S. in Geology from the School of Mines, and a Ph. D. from the University of Texas, Austin. It was while he was an undergraduate and worked in the Museum of Geology that his interest in decapod paleontology began. He helped salvage exposed fossils at Bump- Young Hill in the Cheyenne River Valley when Highway 44 was being constructed, discovering a large number of decapod fossils. For someone from South Dakota, Bishop was intrigued at how crab, lobster, and shrimp could have been present and abundant in South Dakota.
“ Working at the Museum while I was in school had a real impact on my life, and caused me to go into paleontology,” said Bishop. “ The spirit and collegiality of the South Dakota Museum of Geology paleontologists then and now have contributed significantly to my career and to many other careers,” he added.
The decapod collection dates back to the Cretaceous Period between 130- 65 million years ago. The collection from South Dakota was discovered in what used to be the Western Interior Seaway that stretched from Montana and Colorado to eastern South Dakota and was between 500 and 1000 miles wide.
Bishop will be visiting the Museum of Geology during January – April, 2000. If you would like to arrange an interview with Bishop, contact the Office of University and Public Relations at ( 605) 394- 6082/ 2554.
December 9, 1999
PHOTO EXHIBIT DOCUMENTS SOUTH DAKOTA’S VANISHING LAND
A new exhibit at the Children’s Science Center serves as a photo documentation of the Vanishing Land of South Dakota. It portrays the state’s landscape that has been destroyed or is on the brink of extinction, yet is alive with distant memories. Vanishing Land is on loan from the South Dakota Humanities Council and will be on exhibit at the Science Center through the end of December.
South Dakota’s landscape has seen many changes over its long history. Once covered by inland seas and later scoured by glaciers, today recent and rapid advances in technology seem intent on wiping out the evidence of the past. Man is so concerned with keeping up with the high- speed internet community we now live in, that tangible evidences of past cultures that once struggled to live in harmony with the land will soon be all but erased from today’s landscape.
The exhibit which decorates the walls of the East Wing in the Science Center includes photos of the Scenic jail, Lake Madison Hotel, Sylvan Lake Resort, and a 1930 photo of Sacred Heart Church at Wounded Knee. In others you will see the Standby Mine, an old sweat lodge, and who can forget cigar smoking, poker playing Poker Alice.
If you would like to view the Vanishing Land exhibit at the Children’s Science Center, hours of operation are Wednesdays and Fridays, 9: 30 am – 12: 30 pm, and Saturdays 10: 00 am – 4: 00 pm. The Science Center is located at 515 West Boulevard. For more information, call ( 605) 394- 6996.
December 2, 1999
CHILDREN’S SCIENCE CENTER TO HOST “ ANIMAL FRIENDS”
DAY ON DECEMBER 4
The Children’s Science Center and Animal Friends are partnering up to offer “ Animal Friends” Day on Saturday, December 4 from 9: 00 am – 3: 00 pm at the Children’s Science Center. Animal experts including individuals from Wildcat Valley, Trish’s Fishes, and Animal Friends will be on- hand to talk about all of your pet care questions.
The day- long event will include “ Feline Frenzy” presentations at 10: 00 am and 2: 00 pm by local celebrity Val Rhodes. She will introduce visitors to her champion cats that include a Japanese Bob Tail, and Burmen. Additional presentations will include “ Wacky Water Worlds” by Trish’s Fishes, and “ Close to Wild” by Wildcat Valley. Special animal guests will include parrotts, and a lynx and skunk.
Admission to the event is $ 1.00 and a can of animal or people food. You can also drop off your aluminum cans that will help raise funds for Animal Friends’ Spay and Neuter fund.
The Children’s Science Center is located at 515 West Boulevard. For more information about “ Animal Friends” Day or upcoming events at the Children’s Science Center, call ( 605) 394- 6996.
December 7, 1999
NOSTALGIA NIGHT RETURNS
- FILM SERIES BEGINS JANUARY 9
The Friends of the Devereaux Library and the Elks Theatre present Nostalgia Night 2000 beginning Sunday January 9 running through March 12. The theme for this year’s films is Memory Makers. Films were selected based upon great performances by an actor or actress. Ten great classic films will be showcased at The Elks Theatre with one showing every Sunday evening at 6: 00 pm. Ticket booklets can be purchased for $ 30. Each booklet contains ten tickets, one for each of the ten films . Booklets are now available at Prince and Pauper Bookshop, Book and Company, The Elks Theatre, and the Devereaux Library on the campus of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.
This year's films will be:
January 9 Rebel Without A Cause starring James Dean
Sponsor: Respec
January 16 It Happened One Night starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert Sponsors: Brink Electric Construction Company and SDSM& T Foundation
January 23 Dial M for Murder starring Grace Kelly and Ray Milland
Sponsors: Rushmore Bank and Trust and United Corporation
January 30 Adam’s Rib starring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy
Sponsors: Dean Kurtz Construction Company and US Bank
February 6 Ben- Hur starring Charlton Heston
Sponsors: Aurora Creative Solutions and National American University
February 13 Stalag 17 starring William Holden
Sponsors: American State Bank and Ketel Thorstenson, LLP
February 20 Singin’ In the Rain Starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds
Sponsors: Merrill Lynch and Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun, P. C.
February 27 The Grapes of Wrath starring Henry Fonda
Sponsors: Pet Pantry and SDSM& T Alumni Association
March 5 Dirty Harry starring Clint Eastwood
Sponsor: TSP
March 12 Sorry, Wrong Number starring Barbara Stanwyck
Sponsors: Dacotah Cement, and South Dakota Concrete Products
For more information about Nostalgia Night 2000 film series, contact Janet Taylor at ( 605) 394- 1262.
December 7, 1999
SDSM& T FACULTY IS SELECTED AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 1999 AIME MINERAL INDUSTRY EDUCATION AWARD
Dr. Kenneth Han, Regents Distinguished Professor, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) is the recipient of the 1999 American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers Mineral Industry Education Award. A citation prepared in Dr. Han’s honor states:
“ In recognition of a man revered by his students as an exceptional
Teacher and scholar, and revered by his peers for significant research
Contributions in precious and base metal hydrometallurgy.”
Dr. Han will receive his award at the 129th AIME Annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony on Monday, March 13, 2000 at the Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee.
December 7, 1999
LOCAL STUDENT PARTICIPATES IN ROTC PROGRAM AT SDSM& T
Jared Erickson of Minneapolis is a cadet in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps ( ROTC) at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Erickson is a freshman, chemical engineering major at Tech.
The School of Mines maintains a unit if the senior division of the Army ROTC. Cadets take courses in military science that compliment any course of study while providing leadership training unobtainable elsewhere on the campus. The Military Science Department is designed to provide an understanding of the concepts and fundamentals of military art and science, to develop leadership and managerial potential, to develop a strong sense of personal integrity, and to foster individual responsibility. Many men and women complete the four- year course of study and become commissioned officers, while many others choose to go into the National Guard or Reserves.
Photo caption: Jared Erickson of Minneapolis attempts to rappel down a tower during ROTC cadet training at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.
December 7, 1999
LOCAL STUDENT PARTICIPATES IN ROTC PROGRAM AT SDSM& T
John Bradley of Pierre is a cadet in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps ( ROTC) at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Bradley is a freshman, chemistry major at Tech.
The School of Mines maintains a unit if the senior division of the Army ROTC. Cadets take courses in military science that compliment any course of study while providing leadership training unobtainable elsewhere on the campus. The Military Science Department is designed to provide an understanding of the concepts and fundamentals of military art and science, to develop leadership and managerial potential, to develop a strong sense of personal integrity, and to foster individual responsibility. Many men and women complete the four- year course of study and become commissioned officers, while many others choose to go into the National Guard or Reserves.
Photo caption: John Bradley of Pierre attempts to rappel down a tower during ROTC cadet training at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.
December 7, 1999
NASA ASTROPHYSICIST DR. THEODORE GULL TO DELIVER SDSM& T
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) will hold its 140th commencement on Saturday, December 18, 1999. The ceremony begins at 10: 00 am in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Theater. National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA) Astrophysicist Dr. Theodore Gull will deliver this year’s commencement address.
Gull first joined NASA in 1966 as a NASA Trainee while an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research experience has garnered him many opportunities at various research laboratories and observatories across the country including Hughes Research Laboratory, Yerkes Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory, Lockheed Electronics, and Goddard Space Flight Center where he resides today in the Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics. In 1971 Gull received his Ph. D. from Cornell University and in 1985 earned his MBA from Loyola College of Maryland. Gull has designed and built several instruments for astronomical research; helped in the pre and post- launch studies of the International Ultraviolet Explorer; and served as Mission Scientist for the Astro Mission in December 1990. He has served on multiple review teams for the several shuttle missions launching and in turn servicing the Hubble Space Telescope, and is involved in various studies on the Next Generation Space Telescope. He currently serves as Deputy Principal Investigator for the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, installed into the Hubble Space Telescope in February 1997.
When Gull comes to Rapid City to deliver the commencement address for the School of Mines, he will be coming back to familiar territory. Gull was born in Hot Springs and raised in Edgemont. He is a 4th generation South Dakotan whose great grandparents were homesteaders. Gull and his wife Connie have two sons, Michael and Matthew. Gull’s mother, Irene, still resides in Edgemont.
December 7, 1999
SDSM& T STUDENTS EXCEL TO INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FAIR
John Keefner and Mark Hanhardt of Sturgis traveled to Novo Hamburgo, Brazil this past November to represent the United States at the 14th Annual Mostratec – a South American International Science Fair. John and Mark are graduates of Sturgis Brown High School, and now attend the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. John is a geological engineering major, and Mark is majoring in physics at Tech.
Their road to Brazil began when they took first place at the High Plains Regional Science Fair held last March at the School of Mines. Their project was concerned with superconductors and how they affect the formation of ice. Their next stop was the 1999 International Science and Engineering Fair held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where they took first place in the team division. Their success then led them to represent the United States and compete in the 14th Annual Mostratec, a South American International Science Fair held in Southern Brazil this past November. Culture shock, a language barrier, and very impressive competition greeted the two as they began their week and a half long visit to Brazil. To learn more about John and Mark’s experience competing at the 14th Annual Mostratec, read the attached document written by John shortly after their return. If you are interested in learning more about their trip, contact the Office of University and Public Relations at 394- 6082 to coordinate a meeting with John and/ or Mark.
December 10, 1999
SDSM& T PRESIDENT TO HOST RECEPTION HONORING WINTER GRADUATES
President of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ( SDSM& T) Dr. Richard Gowen and his wife Nancy will be hosting a President’s Reception Friday, December 17, 1999. The reception will give Dr. and Mrs. Gowen an opportunity to acknowledge the accomplishments of the undergraduate and graduate students who are candidates for degrees at the 140th commencement this Saturday, December 17, 1999.
Students and their families are invited to attend the reception at the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom and to meet Dr. and Mrs. Gowen and celebrate their commencement. The reception will begin at 3: 00 pm and will offer refreshments for the guests to enjoy.
December 10, 1999
SDSM& T TO HOLD 140TH COMMENCEMENT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1999
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) will hold its 140th commencement on Saturday, December 18, 1999. The ceremony will begin at 10: 00 am at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Theater. Approximately 75 students are candidates for undergraduate or graduate degrees.
Fernando Rodrigues, a Mining Engineering major from Box Elder, will deliver the seinor class message. Rodrigues is originally from San Paulo, Brazil and grew up in Utah. While at Tech he played three years of collegiate basketball, was a member of the Explosive Engineers Society, the Society for Mining Engineering, was a team member of the Mining and Mucking team, and has served as a Boy Scout leader for the past two years. Rodrigues and his wife Ruth have two sons, Bryan and Spencer. His parents, Moacyr and Mirtes, reside in Salt Lake City.
Dr. Theodore Gull, Astrophysicist at the NASA Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics at Goddard Space Flight Center, will deliver the commencement address. An Honorary Doctorate of Science degree will be conferred on Dr. Gull during the ceremony.
Gull first joined NASA in 1966 as a NASA Trainee while an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research experience has garnered him many opportunities at various research laboratories and observatories across the country including Hughes Research Laboratory, Yerkes Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory, Lockheed Electronics, and Goddard Space Flight Center where he resides today. Gull currently serves as Deputy Principal Investigator for the Space Telescope Imaging Spectograph, installed into the Hubble Space Telescope in February 1997.
Special honored guests will also include South Dakota Board of Regent Dr. James Hansen, and Dr. Richard Gowen, President of SDSM& T, will be presenting the Distinguished Alumni Award to five individuals. The recipients of this award are: Frank F. Aplan, ( MetE ’ 48) State College, PA; James V. Chittick, ( ChemE ’ 63) Midland, MI; William L. Reuter, ( BS EE ’ 56, MS EE ‘ 58) Rapid City; Peter N. Stephans, ( BS EE ’ 68, MS EE ’ 69) Pittsburgh, PA; and Gary R. Veurink ( ChemE ’ 72) Midland, MI.
On Friday, December 17, President and Mrs. Gowen will host a reception for the graduates and their families at 3: 00 pm in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom.
December 15, 1999
FIVE ALUMNI HONORED DURING SDSM& T’S 140TH COMMENCEMENT
Five alumni will be honored as recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award during the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology’s ( SDSM& T) 140th commencement held Saturday, December 18, 1999. Approximately 75 South Dakota Tech undergraduate and graduate students are candidates for degrees during the university’s winter commencement ceremony held in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Theater.
This year’s recipients are Frank F. Aplan ( MetE ’ 48), James V. Chittick ( ChemE ’ 63), William L. Reuter ( EE ’ 56 , MS EE ’ 58), Peter N. Stephans ( EE ’ 68, MS EE ’ 69), and Gary R. Veurink ( ChemE ’ 72). Nominees were evaluated based on four categories – level of professional achievement, evidence of significant and creative professional activity, involvement in professional or business organizations, and balance of community and professional service and awards.
Frank Aplan is originally from Fort Pierre, SD. After working ten years for Union Carbide Corporation’s Mining and Metals Division, he joined the faculty of Pennsylvania State University in 1968. He retired in 1992 as Distinguished Professor of Metallurgy and Mineral Processing. The Frank F. Aplan award was established by the Engineering Foundation in 1989 to annually recognize a scientist or engineer who has excelled in his or her field. Aplan’s other SDSM& T awards include the Centennial 100 Alumni Award in 1985, the Guy E. March Silver Medal in 1996, and he is currently a National Leader in the Tech Foundation’s capital campaign.
James Chittick is a native of Aberdeen, SD. He began his career with Dow Corning after graduating from SDSM& T. He has excelled at every position he has held from various management positions in manufacturing, to Materials Flow manager in Europe, to his current position as Corporate Vice President. Chittick is a member of the Chemical Manufacturer’s Association, and is very active in community affairs including serving on the United Way board of Directors, member of the Midland Area Community Quality Council, and a Vision 2000 National Leader for the SDSM& T Foundation’s capital campaign.
William Reuter, a native of Hartford, SD, has been a familiar face on the Tech campus ever since his graduation in 1956. He has held positions as Instructor, Assistant Professor, and Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering from 1956 to 1972. He later worked at Dunham Associates, Inc. and was employed with Pete Lien & Sons, where he retired as Vice President of Operations. Reuter has been active in business development, including being a co- founder of several local companies – Sym Com, Rapidata, and Re/ Spec. He was the Chairman of the 1980 Tech Alumni Reunion and is currently the Vision 2000 National Co- Chair for the SDSM& T Foundation’s capital campaign.
Peter Stephans, originally from Budapest, Hungary, served IBM Corporation for eight years upon graduating for Tech, and later joined Dynamet Inc., a manufacturer of titanium and special alloy products for the aerospace and medical implant industries. He quickly advanced up the corporate ladder being named President in October 1987. After Dynamet was acquired by Carpenter Technology Corporation in 1997, Stephans bought a division of Dynamet from Carpenter, now named Trigon Inc., and heads up the newly formed company. He is currently a Vision 2000 National Co- Chair for the SDSM& T Foundation’s capital campaign.
Gary Veurink is a native of Harrison, SD. He has had a successful career with Dow Chemical ever since he graduated from Tech in 1972. He has held positions from superintendent of Production Services in Bay City, technical manager of the Environmental Control group in Michigan Division, Global Manufacturing Director for Engineering Plastics, to his current position as Vice President, Global Purchasing. Though his career has taken him to Michigan, Ohio, and Texas, Veurink has remained an ardent supporter of SDSM& T and is personally responsible for good relations between the Dow Chemical Company and the university. In addition, in 1995 he led the creation of the SDSM& T Academic Advisory Council, serving as Chairman for the first three years, and currently continues on the council as an active member. He is a Vision 2000 National Co- Chair for the SDSM& T Foundation’s capital campaign.
The commencement address will be presented by Dr. Theodore Gull, Astrophysicist at the NASA Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics at Goddard Space Flight Center. An Honorary Doctorate of Science degree will be conferred on Dr. Gull during the ceremony.
Fernando Rodrigues of Box Elder will deliver the senior class message. Rodrigues is a candidate for a degree in mining engineering. Regent Dr. James Hansen will present the message from the South Dakota Board of Regents.
December 17, 1999
SDSM& T STUDENT VEHICLES TO BE ON
DISPLAY AT RUSHMORE MALL JANUARY 14 – FEBRUARY 29
Three student teams from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) will be displaying their vehicles at the Rushmore Mall from January 14 – February 29, 1999. The Human Powered Vehicle, Mini- Indy, and Mini- Baja will be showcased over the six- week period. Students from each vehicle team will be on hand during weekends, and throughout the stock show to answer any questions from curious onlookers.
The three vehicle teams will be raising money through a raffle to be held at the end of February. The money will be used to purchase parts, building costs, and for competition expenses. Last year the Human Powered Vehicle was on display and raised over $ 2,000 through a raffle which featured a La- z Boy Recliner and a bicycle.
Each vehicle team competed at regional or national competitions last year. The Human Powered Vehicle finished in 7th place out of 19 competitors at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers 1999 HPV Competition; the Mini- Indy finished in 42nd place out of 110 teams at the National Formula SAE competition; and the Mini- Baja came in 30th place out of 72 teams at Western Competition.
December 20, 1999
DOW CORNING FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES MAJOR GRANT FOR
M. A. P. S. LABORATORY TO SDSM& T
The Dow Corning Foundation, based in Midland, MI, recently announced that the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology would receive a $ 200,000 Grant to establish the Dow Corning Enhanced M. A. P. S. Laboratory for the Chemical Engineering program. Anne DeBoer, Executive Director of the Dow Corning Foundation, contacted the University with the news that the Dow Corning Foundation Board of Directors approved the grant to SDSM& T, allocated over the next four years. “ We are pleased to work with SDSM& T to improve the practical, hands- on educational experiences that prepare chemical engineers for work in industry,” said DeBoer.
The Dow Corning Foundation exists, consistent with their namesake’s vision and values, “ to make grants in specific areas of interest that result in sustainable improvements in facilities, programs and services ... for society at large.” The Dow Corning Enhanced M. A. P. S. Laboratory grant, ( M. A. P. S. for Materials, Automation, Processing and Simulation) represents the cornerstone funding for an innovative and practical approach to Chemical Engineering laboratory experiences at SDSM& T focused on design, processing, and testing of materials.
“ Our faculty is dedicated to realizing this vision of a new learning experience,” said Dr. Jim Munro, Interim Dean for the College of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor of Chemical Engineering. “ This grant provides the direction and momentum for an educational journey that ultimately benefits all our educational partners.” Representing one of a limited number of grants in the nation from the Dow Corning Foundation’s 2000 giving program, this grant recognizes their commitment to enhancing the longstanding relationship between Dow Corning and SDSM& T.
Dow Corning has recruited graduates from SDSM& T for more than forty- five years, and has been the top employer of Tech’s Chemical Engineering graduates for the past ten years. School of Mines graduates continue to excel in all areas of Dow Corning.
In order to continue providing new employees who are prepared to navigate a constantly changing industrial environment, the Chemical Engineering graduates from SDSM& T must be exposed to state- of - the- art equipment, computer control technologies, and meaningful laboratory experiences. The M. A. P. S. Laboratory will include a central operations control room for the Chemical Engineering laboratory and three innovative open- ended hands- on design experiments.
Dr. Dave Dixon, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, notes that the future success of Tech graduates at Dow Corning “ depends on preparing employees who can integrate theory and process simulation with innovative design skills and solid hands- on materials processing expertise.”
“ We are grateful for the very generous support which the Dow Corning Foundation is providing to South Dakota Tech. Their decision reflects Tech’s national reputation as a top- notch science and engineering institution that offers the disciplines and the type of quality graduates that Dow Corning is seeking,” said SDSM& T President Gowen. “ This grant marks a new level in our partnership with Dow Corning, while providing an outstanding educational experience for students at South Dakota Tech.”
Jim Chittick, Corporate Vice President of Supply Chains for Dow Corning joined Dr. Gowen, and SDSM& T faculty and staff, for this announcement on Friday, December 17, following a reception on campus for seniors graduating at Saturday’s 140th Commencement ceremonies. Mr. Chittick – a native of Aberdeen, SD – is an alumnus of South Dakota Tech, graduating in 1963 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He is one of many SDSM& T graduates employed by Dow Corning, and he is “ thrilled to see this level of commitment from the Dow Corning Foundation to his alma mater.” Mr. Chittick was in Rapid City to be honored along with four other graduates with this year’s SDSM& T Distinguished Alumni Award at the commencement ceremony on Saturday.
Photo from left to right:
Dr. M. Steven McDowell, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Dr. Karen Whitehead, Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. Richard Gowen, President; Dr. David Dixon, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; James Chittick, Corporate Vice President of Supply Chains for Dow Corning; and Dr. James Munro, Interim Dean, College of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.
December 28, 1999
STUDENTS CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES FROM SDSM& T
Students who were candidates for degrees during the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology winter commencement included the following individuals ( listed by hometowns alphabetically):
Aberdeen:
Emily Jo Schaffer, civil and environmental engineering
Alliance, NE:
Theodore Todd Johnson*, civil and environmental engineering
Baker, MT:
Matthew Thomas Griffith, computer science
Box Elder:
Michael Wayne Baye, electrical engineering
Canby, MN:
Jill Mary Hennen, civil and environmental engineering
Cheyenne, WY:
Matthew Allen Gries, computer engineering; Justin Charles Thomas, computer engineering
Cottage Grove, MN:
Nicholas Jay Tastad, interdisciplinary sciences
Custer:
Crystal M. Wood**, interdisciplinary sciences
Dayton, WY:
Robert Allen Lee, mechanical engineering
DeSmet:
Bridget Adoree McNames**, chemical engineering
Dupree:
Michael Sean Heinrich, mechanical engineering
Elgin, IL:
David Wayne Marshall, interdisciplinary sciences
Germany:
Christian Dieter Sedlatschek, geology
Gillette, WY:
Thomas Jerry Potter, chemical engineering; William Hugh Hamley, IV, electrical engineering; Phillip Paul Bach, mechanical engineering
Hankinson, ND:
Shiloh Duane Wahl, civil and environmental engineering
Harrisburg:
Brett Lemar Van Heuveln, industrial engineering
Huron:
Zavesky, Bruce David Zavesky, computer engineering
Kasson, MN:
Cayce Anne Lillesve, geology
Kimball:
Ann Margaret Konechne, industrial engineering
LaCrescent, MN:
William James Walters**, electrical engineering
Mandan, ND:
Jonathan Daniel Glaser*, computer engineering
McLaughlin:
Heidi Mae Kramer, civil and environmental engineering
Mitchell:
Joel Evan Smith, mining engineering
Newton, IA:
Lial Nathan Jamison*, electrical engineering
Norway:
Karin Dalberg, civil and environmental engineering; Joachim Jonassen, civil and environmental engineering; Roger Stalheim, civil and environmental engineering; Trond Gaute Tveit**, civil and environmental engineering; Solveig Olsen**, chemical engineering; Trude Haehre Vatvik, chemical engineering; Ole Johnny Gauteplass***, electrical engineering; Christar Lone**, electrical engineering; Jan- Erik Ekornes*, mechanical engineering; Morten Saetre, mechanical engineering; Christian Endre Vasbo, mechanical engineering; Andres Hope Amundsen**, metallurgical engineering
Omaha, NE:
James Robert Lang***, chemical engineering; Jamie Katherine Mathison, metallurgical engineering
Philadelphia, PA:
Earl Marinus Francois*, computer science
Philip:
Nicholas Nowlin Phillips, computer engineering
Rapid City:
Danielle June Wiebers, civil and environmental engineering; Roxanne Marie Hinders, chemical engineering; Amy Elizabeth Williams, chemistry and interdisciplinary sciences; Joseph Michael Balfe Jr, computer science; Todd Alan Schield, computer science; Gloria Jean Eatherton, interdisciplinary sciences; Mark David Laudenschlager***, interdisciplinary sciences; Kimberly Kay Lutz, interdisciplinary sciences; Carol Jean Peterson*, interdisciplinary sciences; John Walter Fiedler***, mechanical engineering; Mary Elizabeth Fivecoate, mechanical engineering; Samuel Bednar French, physics
San Antonio, TX:
Alma Latrece Francois, interdisciplinary sciences
Sidney, MT:
Derek Aaron Young, interdisciplinary sciences Sioux Falls:
Travis Lee Soldatke, civil and environmental engineering; Jacqueline May Henriksen, computer engineering; Ryan Steven Bechtold, interdisciplinary sciences
Spearfish:
Regan Oliver Marsh, civil and environmental engineering; Richard Andrew Marsh, civil and environmental engineering
St. Joseph, MI:
Melinda Ellen Walberg, industrial engineering
Strasburg, CO:
Elizabeth Frances Harrison, industrial engineering
Sturgis:
Kresi Jo Crowser, interdisciplinary sciences; Melissa Anne Erbe, interdisciplinary sciences
Wabasha, MN:
Julie Marie Clapero, mechanical engineering
Wessington Springs:
Nathan Joel Sorben, civil and environmental engineering
West Jordan, UT:
Fernando Pikel Rodrigues, mining engineering
White River:
Tate Douglas Bouman, metallurgical engineering; Daniel Harold Ring**, metallurgical engineering
Yankton:
Scott Michael Young, civil and environmental engineering
[*** Highest Honors = 3.80- 4.00GPA; ** High Honors = 3.60- 3.79GPA; * Honors = 3.40- 3.59 GPA.]
Master of Science degrees:
Bangladesh:
Monowar Zahir, mechanical engineering
Dakota Dunes:
Victor Neil Allison, technology management
Hamill:
Melissa Renay Reis, materials engineering and science
India:
Sucharita E. Dasa, civil engineering; Sunil Kumar Earla, civil engineering; Subramony Harihara Krishnamoorthy, civil engineering; Nayeemuddin Naseeruddin, civil engineering; Naveen Kumar Rojanala, civil engineering; Romana Sabina Sequeria, computer science
Korea:
Jae Ik Lee, materials engineering and science
Nepal:
Rabindra Nath Bhattarai, materials engineering and science
Norway:
Cato Bjelland Johannessen, computer science; Thomas Andre Pedersen, mechanical engineering
People's Republic
of China:
Xu Zhang, computer science
Rapid City:
Cheryl Anne Naus, geology and geological engineering; Christian Maloney Cicimurri, paleontology; Kip Adair Hoback, computer science; Chad Lee Heyen, technology management
Sioux Falls:
Michael James Halde, civil engineering
Spearfish:
James Gaylord Parsons, materials engineering and science
Valentine, NE:
Anthony James Bristow, electrical engineering
Doctor of Philosophy:
Korea:
Heui Soo Han, materials engineering and science
People's Republic
of China:
Xinxiang Liu, materials engineering and science
SDSM& T’s 140th commencement ceremony was held December 18th in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Theater. Dr. Theodore Gull, Astrophysicist at the NASA Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics at the Goddard Space Flight Center, gave the commencement address. Dr. Gull was presented with an honorary Doctor of Science degree during the ceremony.

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South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
Press Releases distributed November 24 – December 28, 1999
November 24, 1999
NINE STUDENTS FROM SDSM& T TO COMPETE IN
WILLIAM LOWELL PUTNAM MATHEMATICAL COMPETITION
Nine students from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) will compete in the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition on Saturday, December 4, 1999. The Putnam is perhaps the most prestigious mathematical competition for undergraduate students in the United States and Canada. Last year over 2500 students from over 400 schools took the Putnam.
The exam consists of 12 problems worth 10 points each for a total of 120 points. Typically about 1/ 3 of the students who take the exam get a score of 0. Receiving a score of 20 is usually sufficient to make the list of the top 500 students that is sent to graduate schools across the country. The exam is constructed to test originality as well as technical competence. Questions will be included that cut across the bounds of various disciplines, and self- contained questions that do not fit into any of the usual categories.
“ I think the fact that our students are willing to compete shows that our Mathematics program is strong and that our students are eager to challenge themselves,” said Dr. Ed Corwin, Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science.
The William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition began in 1938 and is designed to stimulate a healthful rivalry in mathematics among colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. Mr. William Lowell Putnam had a profound conviction in the value of organized team competition among undergraduate students. After Putnam’s death, his widow created a trust fund which supported the first Putnam competition, and it has continued ever since.
The students competing from the School of Mines and their hometowns include Nathanael Reid, Kennewick, WA; Brandan Yares, Brooklyn Park, MN; Preston Schneider, Rapid City; Brenda Manley, Hawesville, KY; Kathleen Peterson, Rapid City; Jamil Higgins, Rapid City; Richard Stevens, Rapid City; Ryan Mayer, Rapid City; and Jason Israelson, Sturgis.
December, 1 1999
DISCOVERY SCIENCE AWARD WINNER
TO SPEAK ON ANTARCTICA EXPIDITION AT MUSEUM OF GEOLOGY
Dr. James Martin, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology for the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology will be the feature speaker for a benefit celebration at the Museum of Geology at 5: 30 PM on Friday, December 10. Ms. Janet Davison of South Dakota Public Radio will serve as moderator at the event.
Martin will present images and tales of his research expeditions to Antarctica when he discovered the fossilized remains of huge aquatic reptiles and dinosaurs in the remote Vega and Seymour Island of the Antarctica Peninsula area. He will have a sample of the actual fossilized remains he discovered on- hand for guests to view.
Martin and his scientific colleagues, found the tooth of a duck- billed dinosaur - the first such fossil ever discovered on the continent of Antarctica. In addition, they discovered a portion of a leg bone from the continent’s most ancient bird, and the remains of two giant marine reptiles, the mosasaur and plesiosaur and those of their young. The expedition was funded principally through the National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs. The discovery of the fossilized remains provide evidence supporting the theory of an ancient land bridge connecting Antarctica to the Americas. This land bridge may have been used not only by dinosaurs but also by marsupial mammals in their emigration from the Americas to Australia via Antarctica when the continents were closer together.
Last month the Discovery Channel Europe and the Royal Geographical Society ( the UK counterpart to the National Geographic Society) presented Dr. Martin with the Discovery Science Award at an awards dinner held at the Royal Geographical Society ( with the Institute of British Geographers) in London, England. The Discovery Science Award recognizes major scientific achievements and highlights those individuals or teams whose work has pushed back the limits of our knowledge.
Martin, a native of Edgemont, South Dakota, received his Bachelor of Science in geology from SDSM& T in 1971, and his Master of Science in paleontology from SDSM& T in 1973. He went on to earn his PhD in geology from the University of Washington. Martin returned to South Dakota in 1979. In addition to participating in expeditions to Antarctica, Martin also leads paleontology expeditions through the SDSM& T Museum of Geology each year. These are held in South Dakota, Wyoming, and Oregon and are open to the public.
If you would like more information about the benefit celebration featuring Dr. Martin, or would like to RSVP, contact the Museum of Geology at ( 605) 394- 2467.
December 2, 1999
SDSM& T TO HOST SURVEYING SEMINAR ON DECEMBER 3
On Friday, December 3 between 50 and 100 professionals will be on the campus of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) attending the 4th Biennial Land Surveying Seminar. The seminar is held for licensed surveyors around South Dakota and provides continuing education credits which they need in order to renew their license. The primary topic will be the State Plane Coordinate System, a system of coordinates for describing land within South Dakota.
Dr. M. R. Hansen, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, will serve as moderator and host of the one- day seminar. Other professionals who will be delivering part of the seminar include Dennis Shreves, LS, Director of Planning and Economic Development; Dean Scott, LS; J. D. Mason, Analytic Geography; Steve Richter, Frontier Precision, Inc.; Lisa Webster, Chief Deputy, Pennington County Register of Deeds; and Warren Fisk, PE & LS, President, Fisk Engineering.
For more information on the Surveying Seminar, contact Dr. Hansen at ( 605) 394- 1959.
December 2, 1999
DROP- N- SHOP AT THE CHILDREN’S SCIENCE CENTER GIVES PARENTS A CHANCE TO FINISH THEIR HOLIDAY SHOPPING
On Saturday, December 11 the Children’s Science Center will be hosting Drop- N- Shop – a chance for parents to pick up those last few presents before the Holidays are upon us. You can drop off your kids at 9: 00 am or right after lunch at 1: 00 pm for a four- hour morning or afternoon shopping session. Dino- Mite will offer specially designed programming for children ages 5- 7, and Elk & Black Hills Wildlife will be geared towards children ages 8- 10 years old. Each group will offer Story Time, activities, and healthy snacks.
Admission to one of the four- hour shopping sessions is $ 8.00. Space is limited so pre- registration is required. Deadline to register is December 7. For more information about Drop- N- Shop or to register, contact the Children’s Science Center at ( 605) 394- 6996, or the Office of University & Public Relations at ( 605) 394- 2554.
December 8, 1999
MUSEUM OF GEOLOGY RECEIVES DONATION OF ONE OF LARGEST FOSSIL SHRIMP, CRAB & LOBSTER COLLECTIONS IN THE WORLD
An alumnus of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) has donated his fossil collection of fossil shrimp, crab, and lobster specimens to the Museum of Geology. Gale Bishop, Emeritus Professor at Georgia Southern University and Co- Director of St. Catherine’s Sea Turtle Conservation Program, has been collecting fossil decapods for over 25 years and has accumulated one of the largest decapod ( lobster, crab, and shrimp) collections in the world.
By donating his collection to the Museum, the fossils will be returning to their region of origin. The largest collections within the 22,000 specimen donation were discovered in South Dakota, with smaller collections coming from Texas, Montana, Georgia, and South Carolina.
“ This collection will be able to provide a significant contribution to research in decapod paleontology, and is a significant contribution to the Museum of Geology at the School of Mines further enhancing a center of excellence paleontology,” said Bishop.
Accompanying the 22,000 specimens at the Museum is an expansive library of information that includes 3,000 reprints and books on decapods, and the over 50 papers that were published about the collection. Scientists will be able to access the manuscripts, grant proposals, and over 3,000 negatives of fossil crabs.
Bishop grew up in Sioux Falls and earned his B. S. and M. S. in Geology from the School of Mines, and a Ph. D. from the University of Texas, Austin. It was while he was an undergraduate and worked in the Museum of Geology that his interest in decapod paleontology began. He helped salvage exposed fossils at Bump- Young Hill in the Cheyenne River Valley when Highway 44 was being constructed, discovering a large number of decapod fossils. For someone from South Dakota, Bishop was intrigued at how crab, lobster, and shrimp could have been present and abundant in South Dakota.
“ Working at the Museum while I was in school had a real impact on my life, and caused me to go into paleontology,” said Bishop. “ The spirit and collegiality of the South Dakota Museum of Geology paleontologists then and now have contributed significantly to my career and to many other careers,” he added.
The decapod collection dates back to the Cretaceous Period between 130- 65 million years ago. The collection from South Dakota was discovered in what used to be the Western Interior Seaway that stretched from Montana and Colorado to eastern South Dakota and was between 500 and 1000 miles wide.
Bishop will be visiting the Museum of Geology during January – April, 2000. If you would like to arrange an interview with Bishop, contact the Office of University and Public Relations at ( 605) 394- 6082/ 2554.
December 9, 1999
PHOTO EXHIBIT DOCUMENTS SOUTH DAKOTA’S VANISHING LAND
A new exhibit at the Children’s Science Center serves as a photo documentation of the Vanishing Land of South Dakota. It portrays the state’s landscape that has been destroyed or is on the brink of extinction, yet is alive with distant memories. Vanishing Land is on loan from the South Dakota Humanities Council and will be on exhibit at the Science Center through the end of December.
South Dakota’s landscape has seen many changes over its long history. Once covered by inland seas and later scoured by glaciers, today recent and rapid advances in technology seem intent on wiping out the evidence of the past. Man is so concerned with keeping up with the high- speed internet community we now live in, that tangible evidences of past cultures that once struggled to live in harmony with the land will soon be all but erased from today’s landscape.
The exhibit which decorates the walls of the East Wing in the Science Center includes photos of the Scenic jail, Lake Madison Hotel, Sylvan Lake Resort, and a 1930 photo of Sacred Heart Church at Wounded Knee. In others you will see the Standby Mine, an old sweat lodge, and who can forget cigar smoking, poker playing Poker Alice.
If you would like to view the Vanishing Land exhibit at the Children’s Science Center, hours of operation are Wednesdays and Fridays, 9: 30 am – 12: 30 pm, and Saturdays 10: 00 am – 4: 00 pm. The Science Center is located at 515 West Boulevard. For more information, call ( 605) 394- 6996.
December 2, 1999
CHILDREN’S SCIENCE CENTER TO HOST “ ANIMAL FRIENDS”
DAY ON DECEMBER 4
The Children’s Science Center and Animal Friends are partnering up to offer “ Animal Friends” Day on Saturday, December 4 from 9: 00 am – 3: 00 pm at the Children’s Science Center. Animal experts including individuals from Wildcat Valley, Trish’s Fishes, and Animal Friends will be on- hand to talk about all of your pet care questions.
The day- long event will include “ Feline Frenzy” presentations at 10: 00 am and 2: 00 pm by local celebrity Val Rhodes. She will introduce visitors to her champion cats that include a Japanese Bob Tail, and Burmen. Additional presentations will include “ Wacky Water Worlds” by Trish’s Fishes, and “ Close to Wild” by Wildcat Valley. Special animal guests will include parrotts, and a lynx and skunk.
Admission to the event is $ 1.00 and a can of animal or people food. You can also drop off your aluminum cans that will help raise funds for Animal Friends’ Spay and Neuter fund.
The Children’s Science Center is located at 515 West Boulevard. For more information about “ Animal Friends” Day or upcoming events at the Children’s Science Center, call ( 605) 394- 6996.
December 7, 1999
NOSTALGIA NIGHT RETURNS
- FILM SERIES BEGINS JANUARY 9
The Friends of the Devereaux Library and the Elks Theatre present Nostalgia Night 2000 beginning Sunday January 9 running through March 12. The theme for this year’s films is Memory Makers. Films were selected based upon great performances by an actor or actress. Ten great classic films will be showcased at The Elks Theatre with one showing every Sunday evening at 6: 00 pm. Ticket booklets can be purchased for $ 30. Each booklet contains ten tickets, one for each of the ten films . Booklets are now available at Prince and Pauper Bookshop, Book and Company, The Elks Theatre, and the Devereaux Library on the campus of the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.
This year's films will be:
January 9 Rebel Without A Cause starring James Dean
Sponsor: Respec
January 16 It Happened One Night starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert Sponsors: Brink Electric Construction Company and SDSM& T Foundation
January 23 Dial M for Murder starring Grace Kelly and Ray Milland
Sponsors: Rushmore Bank and Trust and United Corporation
January 30 Adam’s Rib starring Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy
Sponsors: Dean Kurtz Construction Company and US Bank
February 6 Ben- Hur starring Charlton Heston
Sponsors: Aurora Creative Solutions and National American University
February 13 Stalag 17 starring William Holden
Sponsors: American State Bank and Ketel Thorstenson, LLP
February 20 Singin’ In the Rain Starring Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds
Sponsors: Merrill Lynch and Lynn, Jackson, Shultz & Lebrun, P. C.
February 27 The Grapes of Wrath starring Henry Fonda
Sponsors: Pet Pantry and SDSM& T Alumni Association
March 5 Dirty Harry starring Clint Eastwood
Sponsor: TSP
March 12 Sorry, Wrong Number starring Barbara Stanwyck
Sponsors: Dacotah Cement, and South Dakota Concrete Products
For more information about Nostalgia Night 2000 film series, contact Janet Taylor at ( 605) 394- 1262.
December 7, 1999
SDSM& T FACULTY IS SELECTED AS THE RECIPIENT OF THE 1999 AIME MINERAL INDUSTRY EDUCATION AWARD
Dr. Kenneth Han, Regents Distinguished Professor, Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) is the recipient of the 1999 American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers Mineral Industry Education Award. A citation prepared in Dr. Han’s honor states:
“ In recognition of a man revered by his students as an exceptional
Teacher and scholar, and revered by his peers for significant research
Contributions in precious and base metal hydrometallurgy.”
Dr. Han will receive his award at the 129th AIME Annual Banquet and Awards Ceremony on Monday, March 13, 2000 at the Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee.
December 7, 1999
LOCAL STUDENT PARTICIPATES IN ROTC PROGRAM AT SDSM& T
Jared Erickson of Minneapolis is a cadet in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps ( ROTC) at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Erickson is a freshman, chemical engineering major at Tech.
The School of Mines maintains a unit if the senior division of the Army ROTC. Cadets take courses in military science that compliment any course of study while providing leadership training unobtainable elsewhere on the campus. The Military Science Department is designed to provide an understanding of the concepts and fundamentals of military art and science, to develop leadership and managerial potential, to develop a strong sense of personal integrity, and to foster individual responsibility. Many men and women complete the four- year course of study and become commissioned officers, while many others choose to go into the National Guard or Reserves.
Photo caption: Jared Erickson of Minneapolis attempts to rappel down a tower during ROTC cadet training at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.
December 7, 1999
LOCAL STUDENT PARTICIPATES IN ROTC PROGRAM AT SDSM& T
John Bradley of Pierre is a cadet in the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps ( ROTC) at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Bradley is a freshman, chemistry major at Tech.
The School of Mines maintains a unit if the senior division of the Army ROTC. Cadets take courses in military science that compliment any course of study while providing leadership training unobtainable elsewhere on the campus. The Military Science Department is designed to provide an understanding of the concepts and fundamentals of military art and science, to develop leadership and managerial potential, to develop a strong sense of personal integrity, and to foster individual responsibility. Many men and women complete the four- year course of study and become commissioned officers, while many others choose to go into the National Guard or Reserves.
Photo caption: John Bradley of Pierre attempts to rappel down a tower during ROTC cadet training at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology.
December 7, 1999
NASA ASTROPHYSICIST DR. THEODORE GULL TO DELIVER SDSM& T
COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) will hold its 140th commencement on Saturday, December 18, 1999. The ceremony begins at 10: 00 am in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Theater. National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA) Astrophysicist Dr. Theodore Gull will deliver this year’s commencement address.
Gull first joined NASA in 1966 as a NASA Trainee while an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research experience has garnered him many opportunities at various research laboratories and observatories across the country including Hughes Research Laboratory, Yerkes Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory, Lockheed Electronics, and Goddard Space Flight Center where he resides today in the Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics. In 1971 Gull received his Ph. D. from Cornell University and in 1985 earned his MBA from Loyola College of Maryland. Gull has designed and built several instruments for astronomical research; helped in the pre and post- launch studies of the International Ultraviolet Explorer; and served as Mission Scientist for the Astro Mission in December 1990. He has served on multiple review teams for the several shuttle missions launching and in turn servicing the Hubble Space Telescope, and is involved in various studies on the Next Generation Space Telescope. He currently serves as Deputy Principal Investigator for the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph, installed into the Hubble Space Telescope in February 1997.
When Gull comes to Rapid City to deliver the commencement address for the School of Mines, he will be coming back to familiar territory. Gull was born in Hot Springs and raised in Edgemont. He is a 4th generation South Dakotan whose great grandparents were homesteaders. Gull and his wife Connie have two sons, Michael and Matthew. Gull’s mother, Irene, still resides in Edgemont.
December 7, 1999
SDSM& T STUDENTS EXCEL TO INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE FAIR
John Keefner and Mark Hanhardt of Sturgis traveled to Novo Hamburgo, Brazil this past November to represent the United States at the 14th Annual Mostratec – a South American International Science Fair. John and Mark are graduates of Sturgis Brown High School, and now attend the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. John is a geological engineering major, and Mark is majoring in physics at Tech.
Their road to Brazil began when they took first place at the High Plains Regional Science Fair held last March at the School of Mines. Their project was concerned with superconductors and how they affect the formation of ice. Their next stop was the 1999 International Science and Engineering Fair held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where they took first place in the team division. Their success then led them to represent the United States and compete in the 14th Annual Mostratec, a South American International Science Fair held in Southern Brazil this past November. Culture shock, a language barrier, and very impressive competition greeted the two as they began their week and a half long visit to Brazil. To learn more about John and Mark’s experience competing at the 14th Annual Mostratec, read the attached document written by John shortly after their return. If you are interested in learning more about their trip, contact the Office of University and Public Relations at 394- 6082 to coordinate a meeting with John and/ or Mark.
December 10, 1999
SDSM& T PRESIDENT TO HOST RECEPTION HONORING WINTER GRADUATES
President of the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ( SDSM& T) Dr. Richard Gowen and his wife Nancy will be hosting a President’s Reception Friday, December 17, 1999. The reception will give Dr. and Mrs. Gowen an opportunity to acknowledge the accomplishments of the undergraduate and graduate students who are candidates for degrees at the 140th commencement this Saturday, December 17, 1999.
Students and their families are invited to attend the reception at the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom and to meet Dr. and Mrs. Gowen and celebrate their commencement. The reception will begin at 3: 00 pm and will offer refreshments for the guests to enjoy.
December 10, 1999
SDSM& T TO HOLD 140TH COMMENCEMENT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1999
The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) will hold its 140th commencement on Saturday, December 18, 1999. The ceremony will begin at 10: 00 am at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Theater. Approximately 75 students are candidates for undergraduate or graduate degrees.
Fernando Rodrigues, a Mining Engineering major from Box Elder, will deliver the seinor class message. Rodrigues is originally from San Paulo, Brazil and grew up in Utah. While at Tech he played three years of collegiate basketball, was a member of the Explosive Engineers Society, the Society for Mining Engineering, was a team member of the Mining and Mucking team, and has served as a Boy Scout leader for the past two years. Rodrigues and his wife Ruth have two sons, Bryan and Spencer. His parents, Moacyr and Mirtes, reside in Salt Lake City.
Dr. Theodore Gull, Astrophysicist at the NASA Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics at Goddard Space Flight Center, will deliver the commencement address. An Honorary Doctorate of Science degree will be conferred on Dr. Gull during the ceremony.
Gull first joined NASA in 1966 as a NASA Trainee while an undergraduate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research experience has garnered him many opportunities at various research laboratories and observatories across the country including Hughes Research Laboratory, Yerkes Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory, Lockheed Electronics, and Goddard Space Flight Center where he resides today. Gull currently serves as Deputy Principal Investigator for the Space Telescope Imaging Spectograph, installed into the Hubble Space Telescope in February 1997.
Special honored guests will also include South Dakota Board of Regent Dr. James Hansen, and Dr. Richard Gowen, President of SDSM& T, will be presenting the Distinguished Alumni Award to five individuals. The recipients of this award are: Frank F. Aplan, ( MetE ’ 48) State College, PA; James V. Chittick, ( ChemE ’ 63) Midland, MI; William L. Reuter, ( BS EE ’ 56, MS EE ‘ 58) Rapid City; Peter N. Stephans, ( BS EE ’ 68, MS EE ’ 69) Pittsburgh, PA; and Gary R. Veurink ( ChemE ’ 72) Midland, MI.
On Friday, December 17, President and Mrs. Gowen will host a reception for the graduates and their families at 3: 00 pm in the Surbeck Student Center Ballroom.
December 15, 1999
FIVE ALUMNI HONORED DURING SDSM& T’S 140TH COMMENCEMENT
Five alumni will be honored as recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award during the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology’s ( SDSM& T) 140th commencement held Saturday, December 18, 1999. Approximately 75 South Dakota Tech undergraduate and graduate students are candidates for degrees during the university’s winter commencement ceremony held in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Theater.
This year’s recipients are Frank F. Aplan ( MetE ’ 48), James V. Chittick ( ChemE ’ 63), William L. Reuter ( EE ’ 56 , MS EE ’ 58), Peter N. Stephans ( EE ’ 68, MS EE ’ 69), and Gary R. Veurink ( ChemE ’ 72). Nominees were evaluated based on four categories – level of professional achievement, evidence of significant and creative professional activity, involvement in professional or business organizations, and balance of community and professional service and awards.
Frank Aplan is originally from Fort Pierre, SD. After working ten years for Union Carbide Corporation’s Mining and Metals Division, he joined the faculty of Pennsylvania State University in 1968. He retired in 1992 as Distinguished Professor of Metallurgy and Mineral Processing. The Frank F. Aplan award was established by the Engineering Foundation in 1989 to annually recognize a scientist or engineer who has excelled in his or her field. Aplan’s other SDSM& T awards include the Centennial 100 Alumni Award in 1985, the Guy E. March Silver Medal in 1996, and he is currently a National Leader in the Tech Foundation’s capital campaign.
James Chittick is a native of Aberdeen, SD. He began his career with Dow Corning after graduating from SDSM& T. He has excelled at every position he has held from various management positions in manufacturing, to Materials Flow manager in Europe, to his current position as Corporate Vice President. Chittick is a member of the Chemical Manufacturer’s Association, and is very active in community affairs including serving on the United Way board of Directors, member of the Midland Area Community Quality Council, and a Vision 2000 National Leader for the SDSM& T Foundation’s capital campaign.
William Reuter, a native of Hartford, SD, has been a familiar face on the Tech campus ever since his graduation in 1956. He has held positions as Instructor, Assistant Professor, and Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering from 1956 to 1972. He later worked at Dunham Associates, Inc. and was employed with Pete Lien & Sons, where he retired as Vice President of Operations. Reuter has been active in business development, including being a co- founder of several local companies – Sym Com, Rapidata, and Re/ Spec. He was the Chairman of the 1980 Tech Alumni Reunion and is currently the Vision 2000 National Co- Chair for the SDSM& T Foundation’s capital campaign.
Peter Stephans, originally from Budapest, Hungary, served IBM Corporation for eight years upon graduating for Tech, and later joined Dynamet Inc., a manufacturer of titanium and special alloy products for the aerospace and medical implant industries. He quickly advanced up the corporate ladder being named President in October 1987. After Dynamet was acquired by Carpenter Technology Corporation in 1997, Stephans bought a division of Dynamet from Carpenter, now named Trigon Inc., and heads up the newly formed company. He is currently a Vision 2000 National Co- Chair for the SDSM& T Foundation’s capital campaign.
Gary Veurink is a native of Harrison, SD. He has had a successful career with Dow Chemical ever since he graduated from Tech in 1972. He has held positions from superintendent of Production Services in Bay City, technical manager of the Environmental Control group in Michigan Division, Global Manufacturing Director for Engineering Plastics, to his current position as Vice President, Global Purchasing. Though his career has taken him to Michigan, Ohio, and Texas, Veurink has remained an ardent supporter of SDSM& T and is personally responsible for good relations between the Dow Chemical Company and the university. In addition, in 1995 he led the creation of the SDSM& T Academic Advisory Council, serving as Chairman for the first three years, and currently continues on the council as an active member. He is a Vision 2000 National Co- Chair for the SDSM& T Foundation’s capital campaign.
The commencement address will be presented by Dr. Theodore Gull, Astrophysicist at the NASA Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics at Goddard Space Flight Center. An Honorary Doctorate of Science degree will be conferred on Dr. Gull during the ceremony.
Fernando Rodrigues of Box Elder will deliver the senior class message. Rodrigues is a candidate for a degree in mining engineering. Regent Dr. James Hansen will present the message from the South Dakota Board of Regents.
December 17, 1999
SDSM& T STUDENT VEHICLES TO BE ON
DISPLAY AT RUSHMORE MALL JANUARY 14 – FEBRUARY 29
Three student teams from the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology ( SDSM& T) will be displaying their vehicles at the Rushmore Mall from January 14 – February 29, 1999. The Human Powered Vehicle, Mini- Indy, and Mini- Baja will be showcased over the six- week period. Students from each vehicle team will be on hand during weekends, and throughout the stock show to answer any questions from curious onlookers.
The three vehicle teams will be raising money through a raffle to be held at the end of February. The money will be used to purchase parts, building costs, and for competition expenses. Last year the Human Powered Vehicle was on display and raised over $ 2,000 through a raffle which featured a La- z Boy Recliner and a bicycle.
Each vehicle team competed at regional or national competitions last year. The Human Powered Vehicle finished in 7th place out of 19 competitors at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers 1999 HPV Competition; the Mini- Indy finished in 42nd place out of 110 teams at the National Formula SAE competition; and the Mini- Baja came in 30th place out of 72 teams at Western Competition.
December 20, 1999
DOW CORNING FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES MAJOR GRANT FOR
M. A. P. S. LABORATORY TO SDSM& T
The Dow Corning Foundation, based in Midland, MI, recently announced that the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology would receive a $ 200,000 Grant to establish the Dow Corning Enhanced M. A. P. S. Laboratory for the Chemical Engineering program. Anne DeBoer, Executive Director of the Dow Corning Foundation, contacted the University with the news that the Dow Corning Foundation Board of Directors approved the grant to SDSM& T, allocated over the next four years. “ We are pleased to work with SDSM& T to improve the practical, hands- on educational experiences that prepare chemical engineers for work in industry,” said DeBoer.
The Dow Corning Foundation exists, consistent with their namesake’s vision and values, “ to make grants in specific areas of interest that result in sustainable improvements in facilities, programs and services ... for society at large.” The Dow Corning Enhanced M. A. P. S. Laboratory grant, ( M. A. P. S. for Materials, Automation, Processing and Simulation) represents the cornerstone funding for an innovative and practical approach to Chemical Engineering laboratory experiences at SDSM& T focused on design, processing, and testing of materials.
“ Our faculty is dedicated to realizing this vision of a new learning experience,” said Dr. Jim Munro, Interim Dean for the College of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor of Chemical Engineering. “ This grant provides the direction and momentum for an educational journey that ultimately benefits all our educational partners.” Representing one of a limited number of grants in the nation from the Dow Corning Foundation’s 2000 giving program, this grant recognizes their commitment to enhancing the longstanding relationship between Dow Corning and SDSM& T.
Dow Corning has recruited graduates from SDSM& T for more than forty- five years, and has been the top employer of Tech’s Chemical Engineering graduates for the past ten years. School of Mines graduates continue to excel in all areas of Dow Corning.
In order to continue providing new employees who are prepared to navigate a constantly changing industrial environment, the Chemical Engineering graduates from SDSM& T must be exposed to state- of - the- art equipment, computer control technologies, and meaningful laboratory experiences. The M. A. P. S. Laboratory will include a central operations control room for the Chemical Engineering laboratory and three innovative open- ended hands- on design experiments.
Dr. Dave Dixon, Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering, notes that the future success of Tech graduates at Dow Corning “ depends on preparing employees who can integrate theory and process simulation with innovative design skills and solid hands- on materials processing expertise.”
“ We are grateful for the very generous support which the Dow Corning Foundation is providing to South Dakota Tech. Their decision reflects Tech’s national reputation as a top- notch science and engineering institution that offers the disciplines and the type of quality graduates that Dow Corning is seeking,” said SDSM& T President Gowen. “ This grant marks a new level in our partnership with Dow Corning, while providing an outstanding educational experience for students at South Dakota Tech.”
Jim Chittick, Corporate Vice President of Supply Chains for Dow Corning joined Dr. Gowen, and SDSM& T faculty and staff, for this announcement on Friday, December 17, following a reception on campus for seniors graduating at Saturday’s 140th Commencement ceremonies. Mr. Chittick – a native of Aberdeen, SD – is an alumnus of South Dakota Tech, graduating in 1963 with a degree in Chemical Engineering. He is one of many SDSM& T graduates employed by Dow Corning, and he is “ thrilled to see this level of commitment from the Dow Corning Foundation to his alma mater.” Mr. Chittick was in Rapid City to be honored along with four other graduates with this year’s SDSM& T Distinguished Alumni Award at the commencement ceremony on Saturday.
Photo from left to right:
Dr. M. Steven McDowell, Chair and Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Dr. Karen Whitehead, Vice President for Academic Affairs; Dr. Richard Gowen, President; Dr. David Dixon, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; James Chittick, Corporate Vice President of Supply Chains for Dow Corning; and Dr. James Munro, Interim Dean, College of Materials Science and Engineering and Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering.
December 28, 1999
STUDENTS CANDIDATES FOR DEGREES FROM SDSM& T
Students who were candidates for degrees during the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology winter commencement included the following individuals ( listed by hometowns alphabetically):
Aberdeen:
Emily Jo Schaffer, civil and environmental engineering
Alliance, NE:
Theodore Todd Johnson*, civil and environmental engineering
Baker, MT:
Matthew Thomas Griffith, computer science
Box Elder:
Michael Wayne Baye, electrical engineering
Canby, MN:
Jill Mary Hennen, civil and environmental engineering
Cheyenne, WY:
Matthew Allen Gries, computer engineering; Justin Charles Thomas, computer engineering
Cottage Grove, MN:
Nicholas Jay Tastad, interdisciplinary sciences
Custer:
Crystal M. Wood**, interdisciplinary sciences
Dayton, WY:
Robert Allen Lee, mechanical engineering
DeSmet:
Bridget Adoree McNames**, chemical engineering
Dupree:
Michael Sean Heinrich, mechanical engineering
Elgin, IL:
David Wayne Marshall, interdisciplinary sciences
Germany:
Christian Dieter Sedlatschek, geology
Gillette, WY:
Thomas Jerry Potter, chemical engineering; William Hugh Hamley, IV, electrical engineering; Phillip Paul Bach, mechanical engineering
Hankinson, ND:
Shiloh Duane Wahl, civil and environmental engineering
Harrisburg:
Brett Lemar Van Heuveln, industrial engineering
Huron:
Zavesky, Bruce David Zavesky, computer engineering
Kasson, MN:
Cayce Anne Lillesve, geology
Kimball:
Ann Margaret Konechne, industrial engineering
LaCrescent, MN:
William James Walters**, electrical engineering
Mandan, ND:
Jonathan Daniel Glaser*, computer engineering
McLaughlin:
Heidi Mae Kramer, civil and environmental engineering
Mitchell:
Joel Evan Smith, mining engineering
Newton, IA:
Lial Nathan Jamison*, electrical engineering
Norway:
Karin Dalberg, civil and environmental engineering; Joachim Jonassen, civil and environmental engineering; Roger Stalheim, civil and environmental engineering; Trond Gaute Tveit**, civil and environmental engineering; Solveig Olsen**, chemical engineering; Trude Haehre Vatvik, chemical engineering; Ole Johnny Gauteplass***, electrical engineering; Christar Lone**, electrical engineering; Jan- Erik Ekornes*, mechanical engineering; Morten Saetre, mechanical engineering; Christian Endre Vasbo, mechanical engineering; Andres Hope Amundsen**, metallurgical engineering
Omaha, NE:
James Robert Lang***, chemical engineering; Jamie Katherine Mathison, metallurgical engineering
Philadelphia, PA:
Earl Marinus Francois*, computer science
Philip:
Nicholas Nowlin Phillips, computer engineering
Rapid City:
Danielle June Wiebers, civil and environmental engineering; Roxanne Marie Hinders, chemical engineering; Amy Elizabeth Williams, chemistry and interdisciplinary sciences; Joseph Michael Balfe Jr, computer science; Todd Alan Schield, computer science; Gloria Jean Eatherton, interdisciplinary sciences; Mark David Laudenschlager***, interdisciplinary sciences; Kimberly Kay Lutz, interdisciplinary sciences; Carol Jean Peterson*, interdisciplinary sciences; John Walter Fiedler***, mechanical engineering; Mary Elizabeth Fivecoate, mechanical engineering; Samuel Bednar French, physics
San Antonio, TX:
Alma Latrece Francois, interdisciplinary sciences
Sidney, MT:
Derek Aaron Young, interdisciplinary sciences Sioux Falls:
Travis Lee Soldatke, civil and environmental engineering; Jacqueline May Henriksen, computer engineering; Ryan Steven Bechtold, interdisciplinary sciences
Spearfish:
Regan Oliver Marsh, civil and environmental engineering; Richard Andrew Marsh, civil and environmental engineering
St. Joseph, MI:
Melinda Ellen Walberg, industrial engineering
Strasburg, CO:
Elizabeth Frances Harrison, industrial engineering
Sturgis:
Kresi Jo Crowser, interdisciplinary sciences; Melissa Anne Erbe, interdisciplinary sciences
Wabasha, MN:
Julie Marie Clapero, mechanical engineering
Wessington Springs:
Nathan Joel Sorben, civil and environmental engineering
West Jordan, UT:
Fernando Pikel Rodrigues, mining engineering
White River:
Tate Douglas Bouman, metallurgical engineering; Daniel Harold Ring**, metallurgical engineering
Yankton:
Scott Michael Young, civil and environmental engineering
[*** Highest Honors = 3.80- 4.00GPA; ** High Honors = 3.60- 3.79GPA; * Honors = 3.40- 3.59 GPA.]
Master of Science degrees:
Bangladesh:
Monowar Zahir, mechanical engineering
Dakota Dunes:
Victor Neil Allison, technology management
Hamill:
Melissa Renay Reis, materials engineering and science
India:
Sucharita E. Dasa, civil engineering; Sunil Kumar Earla, civil engineering; Subramony Harihara Krishnamoorthy, civil engineering; Nayeemuddin Naseeruddin, civil engineering; Naveen Kumar Rojanala, civil engineering; Romana Sabina Sequeria, computer science
Korea:
Jae Ik Lee, materials engineering and science
Nepal:
Rabindra Nath Bhattarai, materials engineering and science
Norway:
Cato Bjelland Johannessen, computer science; Thomas Andre Pedersen, mechanical engineering
People's Republic
of China:
Xu Zhang, computer science
Rapid City:
Cheryl Anne Naus, geology and geological engineering; Christian Maloney Cicimurri, paleontology; Kip Adair Hoback, computer science; Chad Lee Heyen, technology management
Sioux Falls:
Michael James Halde, civil engineering
Spearfish:
James Gaylord Parsons, materials engineering and science
Valentine, NE:
Anthony James Bristow, electrical engineering
Doctor of Philosophy:
Korea:
Heui Soo Han, materials engineering and science
People's Republic
of China:
Xinxiang Liu, materials engineering and science
SDSM& T’s 140th commencement ceremony was held December 18th in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Theater. Dr. Theodore Gull, Astrophysicist at the NASA Laboratory for Astronomy and Solar Physics at the Goddard Space Flight Center, gave the commencement address. Dr. Gull was presented with an honorary Doctor of Science degree during the ceremony.

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